Media Advisory For Immediate Release Contact: Lewis Small, Esq. (215) 803-5157 Tommie St. Hill (267) 973-5136

Press Conference Asking District Attorney Seth Williams to Drop Charges against Darrin Manning

Who: Darrin Manning, his mother, Ikea Coney, Attorney Lewis Small and Veronica Joyner, Founder and Chief Administrative Officer of the Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School of Philadelphia (MCSCS), will be joined by Paula Peebles, Chair of the Pennsylvania State Chapter National Action Network. What: Press conference asking District Attorney Seth Williams to drop the charges against Darrin Manning, a 16-year-old student who was illegally stopped and arrested and then assaulted by a Philadelphia police officer. The assault resulted in emergency surgery having to be performed to remove a blood clot from Manning’s left testicle. Manning’s injuries may be permanent. When: Wednesday, February 19, 2014, 1:00 p.m. Where: Esquire Deposition Solutions, 1835 Market Street, Suite 2600, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Why: On January 7, 2014, Manning, a straight-A student at MCSCS was on his way to play in a basketball game with his teammates when he was falsely arrested and assaulted by members of the Philadelphia Police Department. Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey stated “the description of the action the officer is alleged to have taken - that it was incredibly violent – the information contained in his medical records does not support it.” Commissioner Ramsey’s statement does not reflect what is actually in the medical records. It is incorrect to claim that the officer’s actions, which caused Manning to have to undergo emergency surgery, were not “violent.” The medical record, which is consistent with Manning’s claims as to what occurred, will be passed out at the press conference. The medical record speaks for itself.

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